Skip to main content

Spoutin' Off

altdailylogoinvThese are columns from my time writing for the Daily Press in Newport News, Va.

Spoutin' Off was a technology column that ran biweekly - first in the paper's business section, then in the features section - from 2004 to 2009. There are 100 columns.

They're all over 15 years old, so they're obviously grossly out of date (technology moves fast!) but I'm proud of them, so won't let them fade into the ether, either.
 
Title Created Date
Small N.C. city starts its own cable system 05 May 2009
Windows is wide open to security breaches 14 April 2009
Phone-within-phone is odd 31 March 2009
Apple speculation could bear fruit 17 March 2009
Local internet radio show is quality 03 March 2009
Technology can't replace paperbacks 17 February 2009
Digital conversion deadline looming 03 February 2009
Lots of technology news to ponder 20 January 2009
A new year brings new ideas 06 January 2009
My wishes are few and geeky 23 December 2008
Shop online and save money this holiday 09 December 2008
The Storm looks a lot like an iPhone 25 November 2008
Netflix-Tivo deal brings us closer to fair cable prices 04 November 2008
Skip the cable TV and go straight to broadband 21 October 2008
New T-Mobile phone competes with iPhone 07 October 2008
Spammer's conviction overturned leaving us all less secure 27 September 2008
IE 8 provides versatility to web surfing 08 September 2008
Microsoft's Olympic tactics seem shady 18 August 2008
Green technology good for capitalists 04 August 2008
Somebody hurry up and figure out how to get the iPhone to play in my car 21 July 2008
U.S. broadband lags behind other countries 07 July 2008
The new Apple iPhone looks like a better buy 16 June 2008
New movie viewer couldn't be easier 02 June 2008
Soon, Vista will be all you can buy 19 May 2008
No need to pay boutique prices for mere wires 05 May 2008
Make sure new TV has digital tuner 21 April 2008
Reasons behind missing iPhones 07 April 2008
Apple is opening up iPhone for tweaking 24 March 2008
Speak out for stronger anti-malware laws 10 March 2008
Blu-Ray wins the high-def DVD war by default 25 February 2008
No good can come of Microsoft's greed 11 February 2008
Big brother is closing in on your cubicle 28 January 2008
An unsecure computer is part of the problem 14 January 2008
Analog changes will affect cell phone users first 31 December 2007
Shop for fun online 17 December 2007
The writer's strike has much more to do with the Internet than you may realize 03 December 2007
Technology fans, wake up and pay attention 19 November 2007
Vote - Your choice affects your life 05 November 2007
New Apple OS cool but not thrilling 22 October 2007
Spam is the scourge of the wired world 08 October 2007
Google is growing 20 September 2007
Touchscreen functionality continues with new 'iPod Touch' 10 September 2007
Changes could improve computing 27 August 2007
Change is in the air for what we drive 13 August 2007
American Internet speeds lag behind 30 July 2007
Keep your eyes peeled for an invite to Joost 16 July 2007
What makes the iPhones worth $600? 02 July 2007
The world is more confusing without Ask Jim 18 June 2007
One of the worst spammers arrested 04 June 2007
Microsoft is more about dominance than quality 28 May 2007
Save the Internet radio before the music dies 07 May 2007
Technology played a role in covering Tech shootings 23 April 2007
Is the music industry getting smart? 09 April 2007
Apple TV is a good idea that doesn't go far enough 26 March 2007
What do high-definition offerings mean for you? 12 March 2007
A neighborhood watch for computers 26 February 2007
DRMs have little effect on privacy 12 February 2007
No need to stampede to Vista 29 January 2007
The iPhone changes everything 15 January 2007
A look at technology to come 01 January 2007
Consider Vista before buying 11 December 2006
Find the best deals this season 04 December 2006
ODU's maglev project is truly magnetic 13 November 2006
Windows is fabulous on a Mac 30 October 2006
Malware, spam still a pain in the software 02 October 2006
Zune sings enticing tune but Wi-Fi hook is tame 18 September 2006
Whether Zune or iTunes, tune's same 04 September 2006
Apple stays fresh by changing 21 August 2006
Good night and good luck, AOL 07 August 2006
A new step for Microsoft 24 July 2006
DRMs are bad dreams to some 10 July 2006
Yahoo's crime of censorship 26 June 2006
At work, don't do virus' job 12 June 2006
Free Wi-Fi access for all is good idea 29 May 2006
Don't trust anyone to safeguard your privacy 15 May 2006
DVD fight is VHS vs, Beta, Round 2 01 May 2006
Windows open for Macintosh 17 April 2006
Save the wired world. Boycott Microsoft! 03 April 2006
Waiting to say niceties of Microsoft 20 March 2006
New Mac is a Mini letdown 06 March 2006
E-mailed spam ads are like no ads at all 20 February 2006
Telegrams slip into oblivion STOP 06 February 2006
Government spying reason for technophobia 30 January 2006
MacIntels have nothing on G5, yet 23 January 2006
Power to two IT heroes 09 January 2006
Smash spam with 'Boulder Pledge' 26 December 2005
More funds can help TV battle cable 12 December 2005
Sony gives ground on spyware discs 28 November 2005
What in the world was Sony thinking? 14 November 2005
Analog TVs likely to work for years 31 October 2005
Perhaps region might become 'hot' for Wi-Fi 17 October 2005
Opera making headway as a player in the Web browser game 03 October 2005
Apple's new iPod Nano offers both elegant and flashy features 19 September 2005
'Citizen journalism' archive needed 05 September 2005
Blame Microsoft for the latest worm 22 August 2005
We're responsible for our computer use, security 08 August 2005
Spyware news is good, bad 25 July 2005
Podcasts are another media choice 11 July 2005
Apple's new core has a big heart 27 June 2005
Beware - zombies are sucking the life out of your computer 13 June 2005
It's time to revisit Web beacon scenarios 30 May 2005
Net telephony can be a tough call to make 16 May 2005
How free software is leading to change 02 May 2005
All the Web's citizens must join spam fight 18 April 2005
Yahoo's 'Web beacon' draws unwanted attention 04 April 2005
Thick, thin, heavy or hot: Which screen is for you? 21 March 2005
Apple Bears Fruit 07 March 2005
Hijackers illegally using address 14 February 2005